Auto Suggestions are available once you type at least 3 letters. Use up arrow (for mozilla firefox browser alt+up arrow) and down arrow (for mozilla firefox browser alt+down arrow) to review and enter to select.

Overview

Blood, Bullets, and Bones provides young readers with a fresh and fascinating look at the ever-evolving science of forensics.

Since the introduction of DNA testing, forensic science has been in the forefront of the public’s imagination, thanks especially to popular television shows like CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. But forensic analysis has been practiced for thousands of years. Ancient Chinese detectives studied dead bodies for signs of foul play, and in Victorian England, officials used crime scene photography and criminal profiling to investigate the Jack the Ripper murders. In the intervening decades, forensic science has evolved to use the most cutting-edge, innovative techniques and technologies.

In this book, acclaimed author Bridget Heos uses real-life cases to tell the history of modern forensic science, from the first test for arsenic poisoning to fingerprinting, firearm and blood spatter analysis, DNA evidence, and all the important milestones in between. By turns captivating and shocking, Blood, Bullets, and Bones demonstrates the essential role forensic science has played in our criminal justice system.

About the Author

Bridget Heos is the author of thirteen young adult nonfiction books. She lives in Kansas City with her husband and three sons. Visit her website at www.authorbridgetheos.com.

Joy Ang has illustrated several picture books, among them Mustache Baby and Mustache Baby Meets His Match. She lives in Edmonton, Canada, and can also be found at www.joyang.ca.

Editorial Reviews

Heos’s conversational text is forthright with the (sometimes disturbing) facts, but never sensationalized—keeping the focus squarely on the fascinating science.

Horn Book Magazine

Punctuated by fascinating photos, a smattering of educational asides, and astute pop-culture references (Dexter, Les Misérables, The Silence of the Lambs), and followed by a glossary of key terms, this is sure to appeal to wannabe FBI agents, budding history buffs, “armchair detectives,” and everyone in between.

Booklist

For teens who haven’t ventured much beyond CSI, this will prove a solid and entertaining introduction to a compelling subject.

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

★ 10/01/2016Gr 8 Up—The use of DNA evidence by forensic scientists to help solve crimes is a relatively new innovation. It was only in 1994 that the FBI created a database of DNA samples from convicted and suspected criminals called the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). However, the field of forensic science has been around for centuries. In fact, as early as 270 CE there was Zhang Ju, a Chinese coroner who wrote about the crimes he solved by examining the bodies of the victims. Using numerous real-life cases, Heos presents a riveting history of the evolution of modern forensic science. One of the first scientific tests ever developed in relation to murder was one for determining the presence of poison, in particular arsenic. This 18th-century breakthrough laid the groundwork for countless other developments in the quest to solve crimes. Heos deftly incorporates the stories behind many murders to illuminate advancements in areas such as fingerprint evidence, firearm and blood pattern analysis, and forensic anthropology (how bodies decompose). Also covered are the rise of the medical examiner, the advent of criminal profilers, and the development of DNA evidence. The text, with photographs sprinkled throughout, is gripping and easy to read but not for the faint of heart. VERDICT Sherlock Holmes lovers, CSI: Miami aficionados, and forensic science students will all be drawn to this rather gruesome yet highly entertaining and fact-packed history.—Ragan O'Malley, Saint Ann's School, Brooklyn

School Library Journal

2016-06-28Thanks to such popular television shows as Bones and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, forensic science is typically thought of as a modern, cutting-edge dimension of criminal investigation, but this fascinating history reveals that it has been practiced for thousands of years.Two thousand years ago, Chinese coroners determined murder as cause of death through the examination of victims’ bodies. The ancient Chinese also pioneered fingerprint evidence. The first poison test was used in 1751 to prove that Englishwoman Mary Blandy murdered her father with arsenic. Heos adeptly uses many such real-life cases to chronicle the history and evolution of forensic science. England was the first country to require all coroners to be medical doctors, expanding the field of forensic pathology. English investigators also pioneered the use of firearm evidence to solve a 1794 murder. The rises of other investigative methods, such as criminal profiling, DNA analysis, forensic anthropology, and victimology, are examined in the context of such famous investigations as the Jack the Ripper murders, the Sacco and Vanzetti case, and the murder of the Romanovs in 1918. Heos also takes pains to discuss how often DNA analysis has been used to exonerate the wrongfully convicted. Vivid and occasionally gruesome but always engrossing. (photos, glossary, notes, bibliography) (Nonfiction. 14-18)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

Blood, Bullets, and Bones: The Story of Forensic Science from Sherlock Holmes to DNA 4 out of 5based on
0 ratings.
1 reviews.

book_junkee

More than 1 year ago

I love reading books like this because forensic science has always fascinated me.
This book was a perfect blend of history and modern techniques and I was intrigued from the very beginning. The narrative is captivating without being too science-y and I really enjoyed the case selections.
Overall, a quick and interesting read.
**Huge thanks to Balzer + Bray and Edelweiss for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**

A pioneer in forensic anthropology, Dr. Bill Bass created the world's first laboratory dedicated to
the study of human decomposition—three acres on a hillside in Tennessee where human bodies are left to the elements. His research has revolutionized forensic science, ...

NATIONAL BESTSELLERDeveloping video games—hero's journey or fool's errand? The creative and technical logistics that go
into building today's hottest games can be more harrowing and complex than the games themselves, often seeming like an endless maze or a bottomless abyss. ...

The former editor of Mashable and cofounder of DominateFund examines the psychological phenomena that captivate
our attention—and how we can leverage them to draw and retain attention for our ideas, work, companies, and more.Whether you’re an artist or a salesperson, ...

“A gut-kick of a read, with non-stop action and as inventive a world as I’ve
ever seen.”—Vicki Pettersson, New York Times bestselling author of the Signs of the Zodiac series “Great characters who jump from the page; a smart, layered ...

Former FBI Special Agent Sloane Burbank is finally ready to take the next step in
her relationship with her former colleague Derek Parker. The couple has already survived hardship, from breaking up to outwitting a crazed killer targeting Sloane. This ...

Gr 6 Up—Each of these titles contains 20 experiments that allow students to actively engage
in scientific inquiry. Projects are presented in a uniform format, with an introduction to the topic, time requirements (35 minutes to 2 weeks), a materials ...

The second installment of the Markaum War series by Mel Odom takes these military sci-fi
books to the next level, perfect for readers of Jay Allan's Crimson Worlds novels.He's behind enemy lines. But those lines are shifting beneath his feet.In ...

Human beings were never born to read, writes Tufts University cognitive neuroscientist and child development
expert Maryanne Wolf. Reading is a human invention that reflects how the brain rearranges itself to learn something new. In this ambitious, provocative book, Wolf ...